Egyptian Tourism Booms With 40% Surge In Russian Bookings

Positive updates from Russia’s ratanews.ru suggest that the upcoming fall and winter seasons will bring a significant boost to Egyptian tourism.

According to the report, the 2024-2025 winter season is projected to outperform the previous one, which faced challenges due to the Gaza conflict and limited transportation options.

Tour companies have already reported that most autumn travel packages are sold out.

Tour operators indicate that sales have surged by over 40% compared to the same period in 2023.

Efforts are now underway to expand charter flights to Egypt. Both Anex and Intourist are increasing their flight schedules from November 2024 through March 2025, now covering 12 Russian cities, up from the previous seven.

Fun&Sun has recently expanded its flight offerings, with its travelers flying to Sharm El-Sheikh via EgyptAir on September 5.

This airline will operate flights to the popular resort twice a week from Moscow and once a week from St. Petersburg, as requested by the tour operator. These schedules will continue until October 29, after which the frequency will increase to twice weekly. The program is planned to run until the end of March 2025.

In a notable move, Space Travel has secured a significant block of seats on Red Sea Airlines’ charter flights from Moscow to Sharm El-Sheikh. This service will cover the fall and winter seasons, running from mid-September through March 2025.

Coral Travel is also in the process of expanding its flight schedules, with approvals currently pending. Demand remains strong, with 80% of autumn tours already sold out, and high interest in winter trips.

Hotels are offering attractive deals for December stays. For example, a week in a superior room at a five-star all-inclusive hotel in Hurghada starting from December 6 is priced at 156,000 rubles for two people, including flights. In Sharm El-Sheikh, a similar package at a five-star hotel starts at 147,000 rubles,” shared Marina Makarkova, the company’s PR head.

Makarkova also mentioned that several popular hotels are offering lucrative promotions.

Sergey Agafonov, the general director of the Last Minute Travel Store chain, believes that the flexible pricing strategies of Egyptian hotels, combined with their affordability, have been key drivers in the increasing tour sales to the region.

The International Human Rights Law Network Index reports that Egypt’s sales over the past three months, during peak season, consistently made up 15-16% of the total market share.

In comparison, Thailand holds just under 10%, while the United Arab Emirates accounts for 5.2%.

Sergey Agafonov believes that all available transportation options will be essential, and he anticipates sales to Egypt will increase as the season draws near.

Egypt’s prices remain significantly lower than other popular beach destinations for Russian travelers in the fall and winter. Additionally, flights to Egypt are shorter than those to Southeast Asia, and the country offers a vast selection of accommodations.

Egypt boasts nearly 1,330 hotels, with one-third being five-star establishments, and new hotels from prestigious brands like Rixos continue to open.

Sharm El-Sheikh remains the top destination in Egypt, with 55% of travelers booking tours through Sergey Agafonov’s company planning to visit this resort.